Skip to main content

Search of Sex Offender's House Turns up Weapon

Thu, 05/23/2019 - 07:23
Melvin Smith

An East Hampton man who has been in and out of prison for most of his adult life may be headed back again.

East Hampton Town police performing a "routine search" of Melvin C. Smith's residence on Morris Park Lane, as required under the terms of his current probation sentence, found a loaded handgun, according to the report, as well as crack cocaine and marijuana.

Mr. Smith, 48, was charged with possession of a weapon, a felony in light of his criminal record. He was arraigned in East Hampton Justice Court this morning and remanded without bail to the county jail in Riverside.

He appeared in the same court a little over a year ago on assault charges, at which time an assistant county district sttorney noted that he had seven felony convictions, including one for rape and sodomy when he was 18 years old. Since then he has spent much of his adult life in state prison.      

His last felony conviction was in 2012, for failing to notify police of an address change, which is required of sex offenders under state law.

The district attorney will decide whether to refer his case to a grand jury. If indicted, he will be tried in county criminal court. He is due back in the local court on Tuesday morning to learn his near-term fate.

It Was S.U.V. on S.U.V.

On June 23, a Subaru S.U.V. rear-ended a Toyota S.U.V. at Carl Fisher Plaza in Montauk. That evening, two other S.U.V.s collided in Wainscott and had to be towed away. And more news of the roads.

Jul 3, 2025

One Thing After Another

Failed to yield, failed to signal, failed to stay in lane, a failed taillight, a failed roadside sobriety test.

Jul 3, 2025

Bridge Strike Impacts Trains

A Penske rental truck collided with the Long Island Rail Road overpass on Cove Hollow Road in East Hampton Village shortly before 4 p.m. on June 26, resulting in train service delays between the Southampton and Montauk stations.

Jul 3, 2025

Driver Leaves Path of Destruction at Montauk Art Show

Early Sunday morning, it looked as if a small tornado had torn through the Montauk Green and the Montauk Artists Association Art Show. Instead, East Hampton Town police say the destruction — which wiped out the inventory of some participating artists — was caused by a drunken driver.

Jun 30, 2025

 

Your support for The East Hampton Star helps us deliver the news, arts, and community information you need. Whether you are an online subscriber, get the paper in the mail, delivered to your door in Manhattan, or are just passing through, every reader counts. We value you for being part of The Star family.

Your subscription to The Star does more than get you great arts, news, sports, and outdoors stories. It makes everything we do possible.